Phew! We’ve just about made it to 2021. And what a relief it is. But while a New Year is about to begin, the effects of Covid-19 are unfortunately still being felt in Paris. Museums, theaters, and cinemas remain closed until at least January 7, and restaurants, cafés, and bars are not projected to open until the 20th. The good news is, you can still eat some cake, do some online shopping (the soldes are coming!), and catch a virtual event or two, whether you’re in Paris or not. Here is a selection of what to do (online) in Paris in January.
Fêtes des Rois / The Epiphany – Jan 6
Epiphany is a religious holiday commemorating the day the three wise men, also known as kings, visited Jesus’ manger. But regardless of your religious background, in France, fêtes des rois (Kings’ Day) is a popular time to celebrate the New Year by eating galette des rois (Kings’ Cake). You’ll find the cake in boulangeries and pâtisseries throughout January. And you don’t have to be in France to celebrate. Make your own using American expat in Paris David Leibovitz’s recipe.
Université Populaire – Musée du Quai Branly – Jan 6, 13, 20 & 27
The 2020-2021 season of the Musée du Quai Branly’s Université Populaire program focuses on the question où va le monde (where is the world going)? This series of conferences explores current issues such as global warming, demographic imbalances, the depletion of scarce resources, and global migration to better understand the world of tomorrow. You can watch the conferences via the museum’s YouTube channel.
Les Soldes – Jan 20-Feb 16
One of the two big sale periods in France begins on January 20, the winter soldes. Lasting for four weeks, this is the time to grab those items you’ve been eyeing for a while at a reduced price. If you’re not in France, you can still take advantage of the sales by shopping online from stores that ship internationally.
Chez Loulou France – Jan 9, 16 & 30
Jennifer Greco from the blog Chez Loulou France is an American cheese educator based in Paris. She has a personal project to taste each and every one of France’s almost 1500 cheeses! You can take her French Cheese Fundamentals workshops online. The workshop on Jan 9 is on pairings, Jan 16 covers the basics, and Jan 30 is about cheese boards.
Feminists in the City – Various Dates
Feminists in the City are hosting more online masterclasses this month. There’s “Les femmes artistes au XXe siècle” on the 3rd, “Qu’est-ce que le Drag?” on the 5th, “Les femmes révolutionnaires” on the 19th, and “La vie de Simone de Beauvoir” on the 31st. They also have online ateliers such as “Pratiquez le collage féministe” on the 17th, “Décodez le male gaze dans l’art” on the 23rd, and “Qu’est-ce que le féminisme” on the 27th.
Visite Virtuelle Live – Paris ZigZag – Various Dates
This month, Paris ZigZag also have more live virtual visits on offer. “Le Paris du Crime” and “Le Paris Coquin” are both on the 3rd and the 17th, while “Les Catacombs de Paris” is on the 10th.
Related Links
- For the best Galette des Rois in Paris, go to Do It In Paris.
- Read about how to crack the soldes in Paris.
- Transport yourself with the best books set in Paris.
Written by Ali Postma for HiP Paris. Looking to travel? Check out Haven In for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, France or Italy. Looking to rent long-term or buy in France or Italy? Ask us! We can connect you to our trusted providers for amazing service and rates.
2 comments on “What to do in Paris and Online in January”
The soldes have actually been postponed this year. They’ll start two weeks later, on 20 Jan (and not on 6 Jan).
Hi Clare, I’ve just read about that – thanks for letting us know!